HERM awarded Work Environment prize

This year’s Work Environment prize at Department of Medicine, Huddinge was given to the center HERM. The prize was awarded by Head of Department, Jan Bolinder March 17.

-It’s a recognition for all of HERM, which is a newly established research center (2011), that we’re on the right track in our work environment, says Inger Vedin and Kari Högstrand, who acted representatives for HERM, Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine and received the prize.

The Department has a long tradition of annually awarding a prize to an employee or group for best work environment achievement. The prize is 5000 SEK.

Why was HERM awarded the prize?

- HERM has since its establishment grown into a large unit with many in-depth research groups where the solid commitment of staff have created a friendly and creative working environment together with all of the research groups . We are working towards new targets, where every employee, student, graduate student and post-doc are involved with responsibility for the environment and a sustainable society, which is good for the future.

- HERM has from the start been very successful in integrating the staff knowledge and experience, who comes from different places, both from private and state funded research environments. In this way, we have been able to a careful selection, and put together a very well-functioning unit. Due to a receptive management and strong commitment from staff, we’ve been able to swiftly implement necessary changes and routines, as well as integrated students and postdocs into the daily activities. In addition, a great tribute should also be paid to our amazing lab manager Monika Jansson, who makes sure that the changes are actually implemented.

What safety issues are most important to you?

- We value HERM as a workplace, where the work environment is comprised of security, fulfillment, creativity and helpfulness in the day to day work. Also, it is important that there are clear routines in the environmental work when handling chemicals, cytotoxic agents, and waste, and that we are continuously working towards new targets.

Tell us about who you are?

-We are both seniors, and work in Alf Grandien’s (Kari) and Jan Palmblad’s (Inger) research groups. We have experience from various workplaces within Karolinska Institutet, and can both say that HERM is the workplace that most clearly tries to create the best possible work environment, and where the negative environmental impact is minimal.